New motor needed :-(

[Scrag Meister]

My brothers drives a huge 1.9 TD Skoda Superior I think it is and he gets 50+mpg.

My 2.5 TD Nissan Murano (all bells and whistles as standard) is currently doing around the 29 mpg mark, but that is up from my 350Z around the 22 mark, 19 if driven properly .

[Sysman]

no point having money in the bank if you owe money (that's what Alvin Hall always says) take the dividend from the warchest and pay cash buy a decent second hand one a couple of years old thats allready depreciated if you end up back on the bench sell it again and buy a banger then do same again when your back in contract

WHS.

[kaiser78]

I bought a 2nd hand C-class merc last year and do a 90 mile round trip 2-3 times a week. Excellent 2nd hand prices, not the most economical (35mpg motorway) but trade off is comfort, looks sylish (bodykit, sports wheels etc) and goes when it needs to. Am thinking of leasing a new Merc as don't want to spend a huge chunk up front (per my leasing post earlier this month).

[gingerjedi]

I bought a 2nd hand C-class merc last year and do a 90 mile round trip 2-3 times a week. Excellent 2nd hand prices, not the most economical (35mpg motorway) but trade off is comfort, looks sylish (bodykit, sports wheels etc) and goes when it needs to. Am thinking of leasing a new Merc as don't want to spend a huge chunk up front (per my leasing post earlier this month).

My father-in-law traded in an 07' C-Class 220D estate, black, sport with flappy paddles and 17,000 on the clock, immaculate inside and out.

I was looking to change at around that time and he only told me when it was too late.

[Old Hack]

12 month old Skoda Superb 140 tdi will be uber comfortable, will have depreciated the worst of it off, will get you 60+ mpg, is incredibly reliable and will only cost you 11k-12k.

Another other option, is to buy a pre registered Pick up (double cab) and you'll get the vat off too, and inside 3 years, will lose next to nothing, and only pay 600 a year in biks, 700 if you get the company to pay all your fuel.

Another option, is to buy a 3 year old 207 diesel, for about 6k, and run it for 5 years. You'll get 50-60 mpg, £30 to tax a year, and it will do the job well.

[BolshieBastard]

If you are doing less than 18k miles a year, dont buy a new diesel (or one that is 2 or 3 year old). The cost of a new diesel over a petrol car means you will be worse off if doing less than 18k pa especially with the price differential between diesel fuel and petrol.

Plus, diesels in the last few years have been fitted with dpf's which get clogged very quickly (2 or 3 months) if you are doing short, stop \ start journeys. Then you have dual mass flywheels on diesels which fail on audi's, ford's, vauxhall's etc that are 2 and 3 year old which is an expensive repair (>£1500).

I've had my bimmer 320d Sport for 10 years and its done 169,000 miles but, I'd think twice about buying another diesel now due to the above.

I wouldnt recommend leasing a car either. You cant terminate the lease easily and in fact, the exit clauses make it as expensive to hand it back as to keep going to term.

I'd suggest people consider a PCP. They are easier to get out of as once you have reached 50% of the term, you can hand the car back without penalties and without owing any more. Do make sure any car handed back even at the end of the term is in perfect condition especially out of sight areas ie under the front valance.

Finance companies spend ages going over handed back cars looking for faults they can charge you for to put right. Although agreements say the car can have 'fair wear and tear,' in reality, this is bollox and they'll charge foe every little scratch.

Ignore advice about buying pick ups and getting VAT back. You can try claiming it but if you get investigated, you'll be made to pay it back with interest.

[gingerjedi]

If you are doing less than 18k miles a year, dont buy a new diesel (or one that is 2 or 3 year old). The cost of a new diesel over a petrol car means you will be worse off if doing less than 18k pa especially with the price differential between diesel fuel and petrol.

Plus, diesels in the last few years have been fitted with dpf's which get clogged very quickly (2 or 3 months) if you are doing short, stop \ start journeys. Then you have dual mass flywheels on diesels which fail on audi's, ford's, vauxhall's etc that are 2 and 3 year old which is an expensive repair (>£1500).

I've had my bimmer 320d Sport for 10 years and its done 169,000 miles but, I'd think twice about buying another diesel now due to the above.

I wouldnt recommend leasing a car either. You cant terminate the lease easily and in fact, the exit clauses make it as expensive to hand it back as to keep going to term.

I'd suggest people consider a PCP. They are easier to get out of as once you have reached 50% of the term, you can hand the car back without penalties and without owing any more. Do make sure any car handed back even at the end of the term is in perfect condition especially out of sight areas ie under the front valance.

Finance companies spend ages going over handed back cars looking for faults they can charge you for to put right. Although agreements say the car can have 'fair wear and tear,' in reality, this is bollox and they'll charge foe every little scratch.

That's the conclusion I came to, I bought a 2L petrol Mazda 6 in the end and I do about 24,000.

It could have worked if I bought a small fiesta/polo type diesel but I didn't want a girls car.

[Paddy]

12 month old Skoda Superb 140 tdi will be uber comfortable, will have depreciated the worst of it off, will get you 60+ mpg, is incredibly reliable and will only cost you 11k-12k.

Another other option, is to buy a pre registered Pick up (double cab) and you'll get the vat off too, and inside 3 years, will lose next to nothing, and only pay 600 a year in biks, 700 if you get the company to pay all your fuel.

Another option, is to buy a 3 year old 207 diesel, for about 6k, and run it for 5 years. You'll get 50-60 mpg, £30 to tax a year, and it will do the job well.

The Skoda Superb is great and is better built than the VW parent company cars. The only thing that makes me keep to Citroen is because the suspension is suited for the potholes and bumpy road in the UK, the very thing that even Jeremy Clarkson admits.

[Old Hack]

I'd disagree about not buying a diesel, as it gives a much better driving experience, regardless of the fuel economy, imo

[gingerjedi]

I'd disagree about not buying a diesel, as it gives a much better driving experience, regardless of the fuel economy, imo

Not my cup of tea, I don't like putting on a glove to fill up and they sound tulip.

Fine if you're towing a caravan I suppose?